Summary
Bridge is also played at the highest level, with an international calendar full of events: World and European Championships (WBF/EBL), youth competitions, major American events (NABCs), European festivals and transnational tournaments. This page provides essential information to follow these events, understand their categories (Open, Women, Mixed, Seniors, Youth), and discover how online bridge (including Funbridge) also allows you to participate in large-scale tournaments.
Educational objective
Vocabulary and conventions used
Tip : summer = major competitions, winter = festivals and events (often more "accessible").
When we think of bridge, we often think of club tournaments or games between friends. But bridge is also a competitive sport with its own championships, stars and international calendar. Even if you don't have the ambition to play at this level, following these major bridge tournaments allows you to better understand the dynamics of the game, experience the excitement alongside champions from all over the world and support your national teams.
The pinnacle of world bridge consists of the championships organised by the World Bridge Federation (WBF) and the European Bridge League (EBL). Every two years (in August), the WBF organises the World Bridge Championships, with their teams events, played in a round-robin format followed by KO rounds:
Alongside these teams tournaments, there are also World Pairs Championships (often in summer) and transnational Swiss tournaments open to all bridge enthusiasts.
The European Bridge Championships, held every two years in June or July, bring together the best European nations in the same categories: Open, Women, Mixed and Seniors. They also serve as qualifiers for the World Championships.
The World Bridge Games (WBG) are held every four years (in the post-Olympic year, usually at the end of the year) and gather national teams in all categories.
International bridge also has a special place for the new generation.
The European Youth Championships (every two years in July) include five team categories:
Alternately, the WBF organises the World Youth Bridge Championships (August) with the same age-based categories and also pairs events.
Finally, students can participate in the FISU World University Championship Mind Sports (every two years in September), where bridge is played alongside chess and Go.
Some events feature private teams. The Champions Cup organised every year in November by the EBL since 2002, brings together the European national bridge champions. It is the equivalent of the Champions League in football. Since 2023, there has also been a women's version.
Another prestigious event is the Winter Games (February, even years), which combine elite competition with a friendly atmosphere. Open to all, these bridge tournaments attract the best players every year thanks to substantial financial prizes. In 2026, the event will be repeated with a new feature: two separate events, the Open and the Mixed Teams.
Finally, the transnational bridge tournaments (such as those held in Strasbourg in June 2023 and in Poznań in August 2024) allow players of different nationalities to team up freely. This is a very popular format, often played in Swiss teams, which appeals to both ambitious amateurs and professionals.
Across the Atlantic, the North American Bridge Championships (NABCs) are a must-attend event. Three times a year (March, July and November), these big bridge festivals bring together several thousand players in the United States and Canada.
The flagship teams events are:
Each NABC also includes numerous tournaments open to all: pairs, Swiss, KO, making it an event for both champions and amateurs.
Alongside official competitions, numerous bridge festivals offer a more convivial setting, often in attractive locations.
In Europe:
In the North:
On other continents, we can mention the Australian National Championships (July), the São Paulo International Bridge Festival (March) or the Asia Pacific Bridge Federation Championship (every two years in June).
The international bridge calendar is not limited to physical tables. Over the past few years, online bridge tournaments have become increasingly important, enabling thousands of players to take part without geographical constraints.
Among the platforms, Funbridge has established itself as an international benchmark. Every month, tens of thousands of players take part in a variety of tournaments:
Its hybrid system, with deals played at your own pace thanks to high-performance artificial intelligence, allows bridge enthusiasts to stay connected to the international circuit while making progress.
From the prestigious Bermuda Bowl to the summer festivals in Pula and Biarritz, the international calendar of bridge tournaments is rich and varied. Whether you are just a spectator or a passionate player, following these competitions allows you to immerse yourself in the culture of bridge and thrill to the exploits of the champions.
Official and transnational championships
International festivals
Other major international competitions